County homeowners to Receive discounts of flood insurance premiums

The Federal Emergency Management Agency has upgraded Bernalillo County’s Community Rating System classification. As a result, flood insurance policy holders in Bernalillo County will receive a discount on their insurance premiums.

The CRS rating improved because the county implemented additional floodplain management programs that exceed FEMA requirements.

“This upgrade in our CRS rating is a reflection of the county’s diligent efforts to help people lower flood insurance costs, as Bernalillo County continues to address the impact of how much people pay for flood insurance,” says Commissioner Art De La Cruz. “The savings will benefit all county residents, who are paying the floodplain premium, whether they live in the city or the unincorporated area.”

The county implemented new programs to receive the upgraded rating including making flood risk information more easily available to the public, implementing an annual outreach program to lenders, real estate agents and surveyors, and the implementation of stricter floodplain development standards.

These additional programs earned Bernalillo County a class 8 rating. All communities start out with a class 10 rating and as they improve their floodplain management programs, they can raise their class rating. A class 1 rating is the highest possible rating. The county’s new rating became effective on May 1.

The benefit of a class 8 rating is a discount for flood insurance policy holders. Flood insurance policy holders that are located within a flood zone will receive a 10 percent discount on their insurance premiums. Flood insurance policy holders that are not within a flood zone will receive a 5 percent discount. The reductions will automatically be applied to all new policies and to existing policies at their time of renewal.

This will result in an average annual savings of $88 per policy for properties within the flood zone and $45 per policy for properties outside the flood zone. Total annual savings for residents in the unincorporated area of the county is projected to be about $68,000.

The community rating system is a voluntary incentive program that’s part of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The National Flood Insurance Program recognizes and encourages communities to implement floodplain management activities that exceed the minimum NFIP requirements. Bernalillo County has participated in the NFIP since 1983.

Residents can contact Bernalillo County floodplain administrator Don Briggs at 505-848-1511 for more information.